Horse detacher



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Shed l.

G. W IGG INS.

HORSE DETAUHER. No. 413,588. Patented Oqt'. 22, 1889.

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v UNITED STAT-Es P E T O ICE GEORGE- w. wieems, or ne son, GE RGIA.

HORSE-DETACHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part 6f Letters Patent No.413,5ss, dated October 22,1889.

Application filed June 14., I889. seen no. 814,316. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. \NIGGINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Edison,in the county of Calhoun and State of Georgia, have invented a new and useful Animal-Releasing Device, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in animal-releasing devices; and it consists in certain novel features hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l-is a view showing my improved device in operative position on a harness and carriage. Fig. 2 isa-perspective view showing the device ar: ranged to release the animal. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are detail perspective views.

In carrying out my invention I employ a ring or yoke A, through which the thill or shaft passes, and the said ring is provided on one side with the buckle-frame B, and inits "bottom with the supporting-plate G, on which the thill rests. The buckle-frame B is provided with the studs or pins D and with the loops EE, and the surcingle passes through the said loops and is engaged by the said pins,

so that the shaft or thill will be supported in proper position. At its rear edge the buckleframe is provided with the loops F F, which are engaged by the front ends of the traces and the hip-straps. The hame-straps are secured to the surcingle in the usual manner.

On the upper side of the shafts or thills I secure the plate G, fromwhich rises a forwardly-extending hook H, and a spring I is securedon the said plate G, just in advance of the said hook. The said hook is engaged by a ring J on the end of the holdback-strap, and this ring is normally held on the said hook by the spring I, as will be readily understood on reference to the drawings. At the ends of the whiftletree I provide the whiftletree-ho'oks K, which consist of the frame or box L, which is provided with a screw M on one side, and the said screw is adapted to enter the end of the whiffletree and thereby secure the said box or frame to the same. At the front end of the box I pivot the hook or finger N, which normally rests within the box and has the rearwardly extending L-shaped portion 0, over which the end of the trace is engaged. The hook or'finger is held in this normal rearwardly-proj ecting position by a removable pin P, which is inserted through the rear end of the box and through the hook, as clearly shown. The yoke, holdback-hook, and whiffletree-hook are provided on each side of the harness, and a cord Q extends from the pins P over the dashboard and into the carriage or wagon.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings, it isthought that the operation and advantages of my device will be readily understood.

The several parts are arranged-as shown and described, and the vehicle is drawn in the usual manner. Should it be desired to release the horse without alighting from the vehicle, it is only necessary to pull on the cords Q, so as to withdraw the pins P, after which the horse is driven forward, when the traces will be caused to pull on the whiffletree-hooks, so that they will swing upward and forward and thereby allow the traces to slip therefrom, as will be readily understood. The holdbacks will be drawn forward as the horse advances from the shaft, and the ring J will thus be slipped forward from the hook H, while the ring or yoke A will be drawn forward along the shaft and from the front end of the same. The shaft will then drop to the ground and the horse will be free.

1 It will be observed that my improvements are very simple and that the cost thereof will be comparatively trifling.

- The device will be found very advantageous in releasing runaway or frightened horses, or in cases where it is desired to liberate the animal from the shafts without removing the harness and in a minimum period of time.

Having thus described my invention, whatI claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s*

1. In an animal releasing device, the combination, with the whiffletree, of the box secured to the end of the same, the hook pivoted in said box and engaged by the trace, and the removable pin inserted through the box and the hook, as set forth.

2. In an animal-releasing device, the combination, with the whiffletree, of the box provided with a lateral screw adapted to enter" L-shaped portion 0, and the removable pin inserted transversely through the box and or yoke A, having the buckle-frame B on one side and the concave supporting-plate C in its bottom, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as 15 my own I have hereto afiixed my signatnrein presence of two witnesses.

G. W. WIGGINS. Witnesses:

E. M. PALMER, W. J. RAGAN. 

